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The MLB Players Association withdrew its request to introduce an age-based free agency system and scaled back its plan to alter revenue sharing between teams in its latest proposal to ownership, two concessions that represent a bit of progress in bridging the gap between the two sides amid the ongoing lockout. According to people with knowledge of the talks, however, MLB Deputy Commissioner Dan Halem said the league is willing to lose games this season over outstanding issues between the two sides. (The Athletic) Saudi Arabia-backed Savvy Gaming Group purchased ESL and FACEIT, two of esports' biggest competition operators, for a combined $1.5 billion, according to sources. The country's Public Investment Fund has been very active in expanding its sports business portfolio over the past year, including through the acquisition of EPL club Newcastle and the foundation of its LIV Golf company, led by Hall of Famer Greg Norman. (Sports Business Journal) Tennis Australia reversed its decision to ban spectators from the Australian Open for protesting China's role in the disappearance from public life of tennis player Peng Shuai, as long as they do not interrupt the tournament. The policy change comes days after a video went viral of event staff asking a fan to remove a shirt and take down a banner that featured the message "Where is Peng Shuai?" (ESPN)

MEDIA

NFL Divisional games score huge local ratings John Ourand, Sports Business Journal Bills-Chiefs produced a monster audience in the Kansas City market, where the game on CBS earned a 55.3 rating and an 85 share. Expect Buffalo to post similarly gaudy TV numbers when its ratings are released Tuesday. Making a Super Bowl Commercial Is Super Stressful This Year Suzanne Vranica, The Wall Street Journal Commercial shoots from New York to Los Angeles have been disrupted as production crews and actors test positive for Covid, ad executives say, echoing the problems on film and TV sets. Longer shoots and Covid protocols are causing production costs to increase for some brands. fuboTV to stream Euro 2024 and Euro 2028 select games Christopher Harris, World Soccer Talk fuboTV has agreed a deal with FOX Sports to stream select matches from UEFA competitions. These will include the option for fuboTV to stream Euro 2024 select games as well as matches from Euro 2028, as well as many other games. NBCUniversal Strikes Olympics Deal With TikTok Allowing Brands To Test New Ad Formats On The Platform Ethan Jakob Craft, Ad Age NBCUniversal struck a deal with TikTok for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing next month that will give advertisers the ability to pilot a new, creative ad experience on the social platform. The media behemoth chose TikTok as its Olympics partner following a request for proposals that it put out to social media companies late last year. Can Super Bowl Ads Make Expedia Group the Nike of Travel? Jason Notte, Adweek Expedia Group will run two national Super Bowl ads: a 60-second spot for its home-rental platform Vrbo produced with new agency partner Wieden+Kennedy, and a 30-second hit for Expedia from existing agency partner Anomaly.

NFL

49ers encourage fans to take over Rams stadium again for NFC championship game Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times Just because the fourth-seeded Rams are playing host to the NFC championship game at SoFi Stadium on Sunday doesn't mean they will have home-field advantage against the sixth-seeded 49ers. Even winning coach Andy Reid questions NFL's overtime setup Barry Wilner, The Associated Press One day after Reid's Chiefs won the OT coin toss, then marched downfield for Travis Kelce's 8-yard touchdown reception to end an epic divisional round game with Buffalo, Reid recognized how fortunate Kansas City was. In 11 playoff games that went to overtime, the team that gets the ball first has won 10 — seven with opening-drive TDs.

COLLEGE SPORTS

CFP expansion delay: The Rose Bowl's request, the Pac-12's support and that valuable TV window Jon Wilner, The San Jose Mercury News The current structure allows for the Rose Bowl to maintain the immensely valuable New Year's Day time slot whether it hosts a semifinal or not. But a 12-team playoff pushes the semifinals into the second weekend in January. Ohio State forms internal advisory group to assist athletes with NIL deals Joey Kaufman, The Columbus Dispatch Ohio State's athletic department has set up an internal advisory group aimed at assisting athletes pursuing name, image and likeness deals. The formation of the group, known as the NIL Edge Team, was announced Monday as part of updated NIL guidelines. Arizona State coach Herm Edwards hires former Ravens coach Brian Billick to staff as offensive analyst, adviser The Athletic Arizona State coach Herm Edwards added former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick to his coaching staff as an offensive analyst and adviser, the team said on Monday. Along with Edwards and former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, there are now three former NFL head coaches on the Sun Devils staff.

---Morning Consult
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